War in Iraq Muqtada al-Sadr

1 war in iraq

1.1 2003
1.2 2004
1.3 2005
1.4 2006
1.5 2007
1.6 2008
1.7 2009
1.8 2010
1.9 2011
1.10 post-us withdrawal
1.11 2016 onwards

war in iraq
2003

shortly after u.s.-led coalition ousted saddam hussein , ba ath regime, al-sadr voiced opposition coalition provisional authority. subsequently stated had more legitimacy coalition-appointed iraqi governing council. granted first major western television interview bob simon of 60 minutes, in al-sadr famously said saddam little serpent, america big serpent.

in may 2003, al-sadr issued fatwa became known al-hawasim (meaning finalists - term used refer looters of post-invasion iraq) fatwa. fatwa allowed theft , racketeering on condition perpetrators pay requisite khums sadrist imams, saying looters hold on had appropriated long made donation (khums) of one-fifth of value local sadrist office. fatwa alienated many older members of father s movement, mainstream shiites, , shia establishment , property-owning classes sadrists. however, fatwa strengthened popularity among poorest members of society, notably in sadr city. has been claimed original fatwa issued al-sadr s advisor grand ayatollah kazem husseini haeri, , al-sadr loyally issuing same instruction.

2004

in 2004 sermons , public interviews, al-sadr repeatedly demanded immediate withdrawal of u.s.-led coalition forces, foreign troops under united nations control, , establishment of new central iraqi government, not connected ba ath party or allawi government.

in late march 2004, coalition authorities (759th mp battalion) in iraq shut down sadr s newspaper al-hawza on charges of inciting violence. sadr s followers held demonstrations protesting closure of newspaper. on 4 april, fighting broke out in najaf, sadr city, , basra. sadr s mahdi army took on several points , attacked coalition soldiers, killing dozens of foreign soldiers, , taking many casualties of own in process. @ same time, sunni rebels in cities of baghdad, samarra, ramadi, and, notably, fallujah, staged uprisings well, causing serious challenge coalition control of iraq time.

during first siege of fallujah in late march , april 2004, muqtada s sadrists sent aid convoys besieged sunnis there.

paul bremer, administrator in iraq, declared on 5 april 2004, al-sadr outlaw , uprisings followers not tolerated.

that day al sadr called jihad against coalition forces. needed gain temporary control of al kut, najaf , suburb of baghdad named after grandfather, sadr city. on night of 8 april mahdi army dropped 8 overspans , bridges around convoy support center scania, severing northbound traffic baghdad. next day, friday, militia ambushed , every convoy trying in or out of baghdad international airport, known soldiers biap. led worst convoy ambush of war, ambush of 724th transportation company (pol), resulted in 8 kbr drivers killed , 3 soldiers killed. 1 matt maupin listed first american soldier missing in action. these series of attacks demonstrated unexpected level of sophistication in planning. while mahdi army knew no match m1 abrams tanks, realized soft underbelly of tanks trucks depended upon needed fight with. biap newly arrived 1st cavalry division drew supplies. 1st cavalry division replacing 1st armored division in , around baghdad. 1st armored division had been deployed iraq year. centcom commander, general john abizaid, decided extend division beyond 1-year deployment, additional 120 days, use in fight against mahdi army. on easter sunday, 11 april, mahdi army launched attack on southwest wall @ biap behind several hundred trucks parked. small force of less dozen truck drivers led 2lt james mccormick held off enemy 45 minutes. 30 minutes after fight, mccormick , crew of humvee gun truck zebra had escort convoy through gauntlet of ambushes 8 miles green zone. divided convoy 4 serials , mahdi army ambushed first one. mccormick changed tactics second convoy serial turn enemy , return fire. inflicted casualties among militiamen , third convoy serial enemy fire had slackened , last convoy serial not molested. refine turn, fix , fire tactic when helped form 518th combat gun truck company. desperate fuel, tanks , strykers pulled escort fuel convoys north scania. end of april, 1st armored division had broken of al sadr s uprising had achieved goal of becoming significant force coalition forces deal with.

2005

it frowned upon in iraq clerics actively participate in secular politics, , other leading religious figures muqtada al-sadr did not run in 2005 iraqi elections. believed implicitly backed national independent cadres , elites party closely linked mahdi army. many of supporters, however, backed far more popular united iraqi alliance (uia) of al-sistani.

on 26 august 2005 estimated 100,000 iraqis marched in support of al-sadr , ideals.

2006

on 25 march 2006 muqtada al-sadr in home , escaped mortar attack; attack disputed, ordnance landed more 50 meters home.

sadr s considerable leverage apparent in week of 16 october 2006, when prime minister nouri al-maliki ordered release of 1 of sadr s senior aides. aide had been arrested day earlier american troops on suspicion of participating in kidnappings , killings.

2007

on 13 february several sources in government claimed muqtada al-sadr had left iraq , fled iran in anticipation of coming security crackdown. military spokesman maj. gen. william b. caldwell reinforced account on 14 february, member of iraq s parliament , aide al-sadr have denied claims.

on 30 march reported sadr, through clerics speaking on behalf, delivered searing speech ... condemning american presence in iraq ... [and] call[ing] anti-occupation mass protest on april 9.... call protest significant in that, since beginning of american troop surge (which began on 14 february 2007), sadr had ordered militia lie low during new baghdad security plan not provoke direct confrontation americans .

in statement stamped al-sadr s official seal , distributed in shiite holy city of najaf day before demonstration, on sunday, 8 april 2007, muqtada al-sadr urged iraqi army , police stop cooperating united states , told guerilla fighters concentrate on pushing american forces out of country. you, iraqi army , police forces, don t walk alongside occupiers, because arch-enemy, statement said.

on 17 april 2007 several ministers loyal al-sadr left iraqi government. iraqi prime minister nouri al-maliki stated withdrawal of these ministers had not weakened government , name technocrats replace them soon.

on 25 april 2007 al-sadr condemned construction of azamiyah wall around sunni neighbourhood in baghdad, calling demonstrations against plan sign of evil of american occupiers

on 25 may 2007 al-sadr delivered sermon estimated 6,000 followers in kufa. sadr reiterated condemnation of united states occupation of iraq , demanded withdrawal of foreign forces, al-sadr s speech contained calls unity between sunni , shi a. in june 2007, al-sadr vowed go ahead planned march devastated askariyya shrine in central iraq, al-sadr said march aimed @ bringing shi , sunnis closer , breaking down barriers imposed americans , sunni religious extremists.

in statement issued 29 august 2007 muqtada al-sadr announced order stand down 6 months had been distributed loyalists following deaths of more 50 shia muslim pilgrims during fighting in karbala day before. statement issued sadr s office in najaf said: direct mahdi army suspend activities 6 months until restructured in way helps honour principles formed. intention behind ceasefire thought in part to allow al-sadr reassert control on movement, thought have splintered. call on sadrists observe self-restraint, security forces control situation , arrest perpetrators , sedition mongers, , urge them end forms of armament in sacred city, said statement, referring 28 august clashes in karbala. asked if unexpected order meant no attacks on american troops, ban on shia infighting, senior al-sadr aide said: kinds of armed actions frozen, without exception.

2008

in march 2008 during battle of basra, sadr movement launched nationwide civil disobedience campaign across iraq protest raids , detentions against mahdi army.

in august 2008, al-sadr ordered of militiamen disarm said maintain elite fighting units resist americans if timetable withdrawal of troops not established. weapons exclusively in hands of 1 group, resistance group, while group called momahidoun focus on social, religious , community work, sadrist cleric mudhafar al-moussawi said.

2009

in response israeli attacks on gaza, al-sadr called reprisals against troops in iraq: call upon honest iraqi resistance carry out revenge operations against great accomplice of zionist enemy.

on 1 may 2009, al-sadr paid surprise visit ankara where, in first public appearance 2 years, met turkish president abdullah gül , prime minister recep tayyip erdoğan talks focused on political process , requested turkey play greater role in establishing stability in middle east. spokesman sheikh salah al-obeidi confirmed nature of talks had been requested al-sadr , stated, turkey good, old friend. trusting that, had no hesitation in travelling here. after meeting al-sadr visited supporters in istanbul, al-obeidi says may open representative office.

2010

in press conference on 6 march 2010 ahead of iraqi parliamentary election, 2010, muqtada al-sadr called on iraqis participate in election , support seek expel troops out of country. al-sadr warned interference united states unacceptable.

2011

on 5 january 2011 muqtada al-sadr returned iraqi city of najaf, in order take more proactive , visible role in new iraqi government. 3 days later, thousands of iraqis turned out in najaf hear first speech since return, in called us, israel, , uk common enemies against iraq. speech greeted crowd chanting yes, yes muqtada! yes, yes leader! while waving iraqi flags , al-sadr s pictures. subsequently, returned iran continue studies.

by late 2011, appeared united states largely withdraw iraq, demand helped make sadr popular leader amongst supporters following invasion. sadr controlled largest bloc of parliament, , had reached sort of détente prime minister nouri al maliki, needed sadrist support retain post.

post-us withdrawal

following withdrawal iraq, al-sadr continued influential figure in iraqi politics, associated al-ahrar bloc, shi factions still @ war not government sunni factions. however, whereas during war al-sadr known advocating violence, in 2012 began present himself proponent of moderation , tolerance , called peace.

in february 2014 al-sadr announced withdrawing politics , dissolving party structure protect family s reputation.

however, later in 2014 called formation of peace companies , mistranslated peace brigades , protect shia shrines islamic state of iraq , levant. in june, these peace companies marched in sadr city. in addition guarding shrines, peace companies participated in offensive operations such recapture of jurf al nasr in october 2014. suspended activities temporarily in february 2015, active in second battle of tikrit in march.

2016 onwards

on 26 february 2016, sadr led million man demonstration in baghdad s tahrir square protest corruption in iraq , government s failure deliver on reforms. abadi must carry out grassroots reform, sadr said in front of protesters. raise voice , shout corrupt scared of you, encouraged people. on 18th of march, sadr s followers began sit-in outside green zone, heavily fortified district in baghdad housing government offices , embassies. called green zone bastion of support corruption . on 27 march, himself walked green zone begin sit-in, urging followers stay outside , remain peaceful. iraqi army general in charge of security @ green zone kissed sadr s hand allowed him enter. met abadi on 26 december discuss reform project proposed during protests in year. following khan shaykhun chemical attack in syria on 4 april 2017, sadr called syrian president bashar al-assad step down.